Always On means that the output of the battery or power bank does not shut off after a set amount of time. It stays on.

When shipped, most of our batteries are in Auto-Off Mode. They are designed to shut themselves off after about 20 minutes of little or no power draw. This will usually occur if the device they are charging is full or is disconnected from the battery. To re-activate the output, the power button on the battery must be pressed. This helps conserve power in the battery.

However, there are times when you want to prevent the battery or power bank from shutting off when there is little to no power draw. With an Always On battery, you could power sensors, PS tracking devices, perform time-lapse photography with GoPro and other cameras, or run Arduinos and Raspberry Pis and their peripherals. Essentially, if you want to power a device over several days, weeks, or months without human intervention, then the Always-On Mode is a good fit.

The V15, V44 (2A port only), and new V88 are equipped with Always On Mode. The USB output on the V15 (4,000mAh) is 1A and should not be used in Always On mode for devices that draw over 1A. The V44 (12,000mAh) has two USB ports, but we recommend the 2A port for Always On projects.

If after double tapping the power button the LEDs stay on for a few seconds, the battery is in Always On Mode. If the LEDs turn off immediately, the battery is in Auto-Off mode.

Second, to change which mode your battery is in:

Auto-Off: Hold the power button down for 5 seconds on the V15 and V44 until the LEDs blink 3 times and turn off immediately.

Always-On: To override the Auto-Off mode, hold the power button for 5 seconds on the V15 and V44 until the LEDs blink 3 times and stay on for a few seconds. After this process, the batteries will no longer turn off automatically.

Note: Slightly more power is consumed in Always On Mode. If left for an extended period of time, you should connect it to a power source like one of our our 6 Volt solar panel kits.

For V88 Battery:

Hold the Power Button down until the LED screen flashes through voltages and then displays the text "Always One Mode" in the bottom right corner (~ 5 seconds).

For everyday use and long term storage, use Auto Off Mode. To switch back to this mode simply double-tap the Power Button.

Let's say you want to run a GoPro or Arduino for a month without intervention. You can use Voltaic portable solar panels to charge up the our V15, V44, or V88 battery, which will power the GoPro or Arduino. To accurately size the panels and battery, you will need to spec out the power draw of your device and estimate how much power you are going to generate.

If you want more advice on powering devices remotely, schedule an IoT consultation.